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I have my macro rail set up. I have to work on lighting, perhaps some LED panels or something. I am using an electronic shutter so, unfortunately, I cannot use my Yonguo speed light. This took me a while to figure out!

I’m still quite tired from the trip. I had to have a technician come to the house to repair my internet. Seems that a wire had been frayed outside but it was nice just to unplug and work on my photos. Here are a smattering, really random including some infrared that I did in post.

Part 2 of my Iceland saga begins soon. My main concern will be power and SD card management, especially since this time I am camping. One possible issue with the itinerary so far is going south west through the interior from Askja (right in the middle of the map below) since the roads may still be impassible with multiple river fords. Best bet will be to speak to the rangers at the station before beginning the hike to soak in the Viti crater. More soon.

I wasn’t shocked at the Trump win. I, like many, see wealth inequality as the major issue with voters, regardless of how the media doesn’t want to see it. Trumps one-liners on trade and taxes worked since most people don’t understand how these things really function but they see, sometimes accurately, that groups capture the pen on government policy and further exacerbate these already dangerous inegalitarian trends.

Chatting with friends, I came up with some events that I think are inevitable:

1. A major terrorist attack occurs in the USA. Trumps isolationism is a major boon to many international actors and it is quite clear that an attack would further embolden American withdrawal from the world.

2. Putin invades and occupies the Baltic States. Putins Russia gets a huge reprieve with Trump in the White House. The economic sanctions will end, saving Putins regime. Ironic that Republicans and all their anti-Russian Cold War attitudes are Putins biggest supporters.

3. Japan implements a nuclear military option. Trump has railed against defence expenditures in Asia. As USA troops and strategic assets are removed from the theatre, Tokyo moves forward with a renewed militarized agenda hoping to solve both military and economic issues. Tensions with Beijing escalate. Beijing may just Crimea Taiwan since Trump doesn’t seem to care.

4. No brainer: Paris Accord is dead. As are many who live along the worlds coastlines.

5. Americas cities will burn. Trumps racist rhetoric will be the last straw and many major cites will be hit by ongoing racial discord and social action. Trumps anger will be echoed on the streets.

6. Trumps biggest enemies will be traditional Conservatives who will decry the massive debt and borrowing that Trump will need to do to accomplish his agenda. // edit – I realized after posting that this is why Thiel is with Trump: Trump is looking for cash and will give tech billionaires a massive tax break to bring their cash back from their tax havens.

7. Social inequality in the USA will increase and while manufacturing will return to the USA, plants will be robotic and poor whites will continue their slide into economic oblivion. But Right Wing media will calm them with the thought that, at the very least, despised minorities are faring even worse.

8. The Democratic Party will continue to slide into history if it doesn’t reform its ways. It, like the Blair Labour Party, tacked to the centre and promoted itself as conservative-lite. Voters decided that they might as well just vote Conservative. Corporate Britain despises Corbyn and his agenda so there is no foreseeable option that will actually address the problems of inequality without violence. Can the Democratic Party get itself together for the 2018 Congressional races?

9. Wealth inequality will grow and many Americans will be surprised as trade walls increase prices of practically everything. Trade wars and real wars will make the world a much more expensive place.

I’m binge watching Marvel’s Luke Cage. It is a worthy successor the the Daredevil series with a great soundtrack so far. I don’t know the characters since I never read that comic but I’m impressed so far! Like Mr. Robot, a hoodie is his costume. No worse than a simple pair of glasses, I guess.

Announced at Photokina, Fujifilm is introducing a 50.4 megapixel medium format camera. Six lenses are also announced for the system. More here. Impressive technology. They mentioned that the body plus one lens would be less than 10k. Cheap when compared to the Hasleblad system so threatening to the full frame market since this would cost the same with more resolution but not on my shopping list anytime soon.